68 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [P. D. 4. 



Nursery Inspection Service. 



The nursery inspection has been conducted this year along 

 the usual lines, with the exception of the fall inspection for 

 gypsy and brown-tail moths, where the ruling of the Attorney- 

 General, obtained in 1915, has been carried out. This was out- 

 lined fully in last year's report, which stated that all nurseries 

 should be inspected before the fall shipping season for all insect 

 pests and diseases except gypsy and brown-tail moths. The 

 inspection for these latter pests would be made as soon as con- 

 ditions permitted (in the larger nurseries this would be after 

 the leaves had fallen), and until such inspection could be made 

 each shipment of stock would be examined for these pests at 

 the time of sale. It is realized that this has been an incon- 

 venience to some of the nurserymen, especially where it has 

 been impossible to have a resident inspector. However, on the 

 whole, it is believed that the method has proved very satisfac- 

 tory, and gives assurance that all stock leaving the nurseries 

 is free from gypsy and brown-tail moths. 



In many instances the surroundings are responsible for the 

 conditions in the nursery, and often it is exceedingly difficult to 

 prevent pests entering from adjoining property. This is espe- 

 cially true in the case of the gypsy moth, but the inspector has 

 tried to remedy this nuisance as far as possibFe. 



The inspection can readily be divided into three classes: — 



1. The inspection of growing stock. 



2. The inspection of stock imported into Massachusetts from 

 abroad. 



3. The inspection of stock brought in from other States. 



The general condition of the nurseries was found to be ex- 

 cellent. The summer inspection disclosed a relatively small 

 amount of scale, while the other insects and plant diseases 

 which might be found prevalent at that time were compara- 

 tively few. During the spring a very careful inspection of the 

 pines was made for the white pine blister rust and European 

 pine shoot moth. Two outbreaks of the blister rust were dis- 

 covered in nurseries which in previous years had shown no 

 signs of the disease. With no remedy for this disease, and be- 

 cause of the apparent unrecognizable stage through which it 

 might pass for several years, we are apt to encounter occasional 



